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Jesus vs Christianity: The Missing Link |
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Monday, 22 August 2005 |
I often ponder over two issues almost on a daily basis especially after listening to “our” Nigerian pastors on television (mostly of the Pentecostal sect).
Firstly, I wonder why it has been difficult for over 2000 years to present Christianity on universally accepted principles; why the ever changing bases for establishing and presenting Christianity. Why is there no foolproof basis for the establishment of Christianity?
Secondly, why is Christianity branded like earthly products (such as Coca Cola, Rothmans, Gulder beer, banking services etc)? The materials used in branding include mega advertising campaigns, miracles, high-tech music (rap, R&B etc), breakthroughs, comedy and theatrics, deception, fraud, mega stars in sports or other areas of human endeavour etc.
Why do we have to SELL Christianity? In other words, are the doctrines not sufficient, persuasive and convincing enough to appeal to the spirit? Why garnish?
These thoughts were further re-in forced when I came in contact with the audio version of the book TRANSLATIONS FROM THE HOLY QURAN. In the preface to the book the author wrote,
“ Translating the Quran is not a literary exercise. If it is impossible to translate the lyrical word how can one convey the meaning of DIVINE word in mundane language? In translating the verses of the Quran, one strains to understand them. The quality of the translation is determined by the quality of one’s understanding. And understanding is reflected in one’s conduct. The Quran can be translated into action alone not into words for words have a habit of turning into mere sounds if they are not constantly nourished and sustained by deeds”.
The Holy Bible is the divine word of God (in its original form) and extending the logic above one wonders why DIVINE word would require so much of human branding, deceit etc to be acceptable.
According to I Corinthians 15:50, Jesus said, “Now, this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. God is pure and His words are pure. Therefore it is ungodly to sell God’s word using lies and deception. God’s words need no selling or selling skills. Jesus aptly demonstrated this.
Therefore, any form of evangelism (either in Christianity or Islam), which does not result in positive deeds on the part of the followers or exert the fruits of righteousness from them is a waste of time.
And looking at the Nigerian society (where more than 80% of the populace are either Muslims or Christians) and the high level of individual and collective corruption one cannot but conclude that the DIVINE word is a mere sound in this part of the universe
Writing in THISDAY Newspaper of May 8th 2005, pastor Abraham Ayedogbon submitted “ reports from many reliable sources are showing that pastor Benny Hinn publicly expressed his dissatisfaction and sense of disappointment about the turnout of events at the crusade..” Benny Hinn was also quoted to have said that he DIVERTED some funds that his ministry should have given to support some missionaries in different places. Can corruption inherit incorruption?
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The truth is that there is an urgent need to examine the basis and relevance of Christianity with a view to bringing it into alignment with the person and message of Jesus (pbuh).
According to Reverend Mbang of the Methodist church of Nigeria, there is an urgent need to re-christianize Nigerian Christians.
Finally the role that religion is playing in the life of our nation today calls for urgent attention as any mistake in this area may have serious damaging effect not only on our economy but also on our existence. Indeed religion today is competing with “government” on the popularity scale.
It is amazing that despite the fact that the bible has been in existence for over 2000 years, most Christians, especially of the Pentecostal sect still peddle slogans, clichés and statements that run counter to the pronouncements of Jesus. So are we worshipping under man-made doctrines or the message according to the master? Jesus.
IN THE BEGINNING: the ignorance about the role of judas
I wish to recollect an annual ritual that took place in my native city of Lagos several years ago and which perhaps still continues till today.
Every Saturday preceding the Easter Sunday a caricature of Judas was prepared, beaten and dragged around the city. People vent their anger on Judas by this gesture and reminded us of the despicable character that he was. It didn’t matter whether you are a Muslim or Christian, everyone especially the young ones took part in using sticks, bottles, cans, etc to smash the skull and body of Judas.
It was a sight to behold. Of course several children each year also got their limbs and/or skulls broken during the stampede and were quickly rushed to either the general hospital or the Massey children hospital in Lagos.
Then something happened last year. It was again Easter period and a film on Jesus was shown on television. It was then I discovered that instead of beating Judas, we should have been beating ourselves. It is true that Judas betrayed Jesus, but subsequently Jesus was offered the opportunity to regain his freedom by Pontius Pilate, but the people instead of deciding to free Jesus, opted to free the condemned criminal.
It was indeed a discovery because the information came about 30 years after I had participated in the last “beating of Judas” ritual. This simple incident brought a message to me in a distinct manner- there is so much ignorance and misinformation in the practice of Christianity today.
It often appears that Jesus is on one side and the practice of Christianity is on the other. Perhaps this is due to the fact that people choose to read what conforms to what they have been brought up to believe and disregard the facts in the bible or are just ignorant of the message of Jesus.
According to acts of the apostles, Christianity was a word coined by unbelievers at Antioch, which means that Jesus never used such a word.
THE ASSAULT ON MY SENSIBILITIES
I am now a fully grown adult over 40years of age.
I was sitting down in front of my house on Easter Monday (year 2005) wondering what the real essence of the day was : a reminder of the refusal of men to listen and accept the message of Jesus while he was among them , admittance of guilt, hyper-compensatory striving or a platform for building Christianity.
I was pondering over these when some evangelists from a nearby church came to me. I told them that I am a Muslim but they will not go, then one of them said: Accept Jesus as your personal lord and saviour that he died on the cross for my sins etc and that that is the way to salvation.
Later, I took the challenge and looked up the two words in the bible on the Internet:
Kingdom – 163 times in 154 verses in the New Testament
Salvation - 164 times in 158 verses of the entire bible.
There is not a single verse that gives the condition of cross or resurrection for either salvation or to enter the kingdom of God.
Conversely, the kingdom of God was preached, taught and demonstrated by Jesus. This means that there is a body of knowledge that Jesus preached about salvation and kingdom of God.
Few examples:
Kingdom of God defined:
Romans 14:17 - For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Mathew 13:19 -When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not……… Mark 1:14 -now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
Luke 4:43 -And he said unto them “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for therefore I am sent”.
Luke 8:1 -And it came to pass afterwards that he went throughout every city and village preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God and the 12 were with him.
Matthew 4:23 - And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 5:19 - Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:20 - For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 13:28 - There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Luke 13:29 - And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
AND THOSE EXCLUDED FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD
1 Corinthians 6:9 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1 Corinthians 6:10 - Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 15:50 - Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Galatians 5:21 - Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5 - For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
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THE FINAL STROKE This theory of the crucifixion and blood and salvation was also defeated by the direct statements of Jesus in the following chapters and verses.
Luke 13:25-27: then said one unto him. Lord, are there few that be Saved? And he (Jesus) said unto them. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto You will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to knock at the door saying Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you , I know you not whence ye are. Then ye shall begin to say, we have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou has taught in our streets But he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.
This brings out very clearly that what is important is the message Jesus came to deliver. Whoever accepts and abide with the message will be saved and whoever waits until HE HAS RISEN without accepting his message, the door of salvation will be shut against such persons or people. It is very clear.
JESUS CAME TO PREACH THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AS SHOWN IN THE PREVIOUS VERSES quoted above.
WHAT IS THE PLACE OF NOAH IN THIS SALVATION THEORY OF THE CHRISTIANS?
This is a big poser for the Christians. The account of Adam and his descendants as well as the destruction by flood of everything in the world except Noah and the inhabitants of the Ark are contained in Genesis. God used Noah to begin a new generation of living beings on earth after the destruction, which came as a result of much violence, and shedding of blood. Noah found grace in the eyes of Lord (Gen. 6:8)
Noah was a just man perfect in his generations and walked with God (Genesis6:9).
He lived for about 950years and bore children who also lived for several years (e.g. 250years)
It was the fourth or fifth generation of the descendants of Noah that gave birth to Abraham (the father of faith)
Abraham gave birth to Isaac and Ishmael. It was this lineage that produced Jesus. It was also during the lifetime of Noah that God scattered human beings into nations with different languages. So this being the case, God used Noah as the saviour of mankind.
It is a fact that during the life time of Jesus, the world was no more unitary; the world was already made of several nations with different languages. With this as a basis some questions arise:
(1) Which sin did Jesus come to die for? That of Adam, Noah or the jews?
(2) Adam was forgiven by God and God destroyed the world at a point when violence and bloodletting were rampant. Noah was raised as the saviour of mankind at that point in time. God found in him a perfect person. So which sin are the Christians talking about.(3) If it was the sin of the jews who demanded for the crucifixion of Jesus,then there can be no vicarious liability because other nations in existence then, did not take part in that decision. God is Just.
So whenever christians tell other people of the world that Jesus died for “their” sins I often wondered if they knew that as at that time the world was not a unitary or single nation as was the case in the time of Adam and Noah (before the split into nations)
MISSION STATEMENT OF JESUS
Finally, before I conclude let us examine the mission statement of Jesus which is recorded in Luke and Isaiah to see if there is any inference or direct pronouncement regarding blood or cross as the requirement for entering the kingdom of God ; to be saved.
Luke 4 18:
The Spirit of the Lord is in me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.
I have nothing more to add but to say that going by the above there is a sharp difference between Jesus and the practice of Christianity in Nigeria as can be seen on television on a daily basis.
The Nigerian experience is more comical as Christianity ( especially the Pentecostal sect ) is now defined to mean
v Fight against generational curses
v Miracles
v Obtaining visa to visit overseas countries
v Prosperity and sudden wealth irrespective of source
v “God” bottled in oils and holy water
v possess your possessions
v fruit of the womb
v and some other laughable pursuits
The messages concentrate more on demons, witchcraft etc (with the fear factor as spice) than the Word!
CONCLUSION
The truth is in the bible about salvation and the requirements for entering the kingdom of God. Let us read it to discover the mysteries of the kingdom so that we can properly relay the message of Jesus and do away with falsehood.
Thou shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. I pray that God will release the spirit of truth to dwell amongst us and to guide us aright. As the Quran has said: wa qul jaa a li aku ina li batil kana sauka
( say, the truth as come and falsehood must perish).
It is amazing that while Jesus acknowledged the fact that “ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourself thrust out. And they shall come from the east and the west and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God” (luke 13:28-29), people still peddle “death on the cross” as the basis of salvation 2000 years after the accounts of Luke as stated above. It is amazing!
Thank you
Taslim Anibaba(FCA) 22nd August, 2005 Please post your comments below or forwarded them to tanibaba@nigeriavillagesquare.com
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Last Updated (
Thursday, 24 April 2008 ) |
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Posted by Robot| 11.11.2005 13:14